Machine for making incandescent lamps.



No. 884,568. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

W. R. BURROWS.

MAGHINE FOR MAKING INOANDESGENT LAMPS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. 25, 1903.

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' William Rfiurrows.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFF-ICE.

' WILLIAM R. BURROWS, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY,- ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

MACHINE son MAKING mcaunnscn nr LAMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent;

Application filed November 25, 1903. Serial No. 182,642.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM R. BURItOWS,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at rea ily suggest themselves to those skilled ining the bulb. or sealing together by an a glass joint the bulb stem of these small lam s, but other uses of the machine will the arts v One feature of the machine is that the glass tubes or the bulb and stem are adjustably held on a rotatory frame at the focal point of a pluralit of blow-pi e'fiamesand,-

connected y fleid le tubes wit parts on the frame which are m communication with a source of supply of compressed air. By this construction air underpressure may be admitted to the glass parts while rotating in a gas flame and when the rotation is'arrested,

- of my im roved glass-working ma drawings, 1 indicates the base of the ut before the glass has cooled they may be adjusted relativel while still in connection with the source 0 air ressure.

Another feature is t ateach ofthe pipes carrying the gaseous. pressure to themechine is provided with a vent or leak-hole which reduces the pressure to practically that of the atmosphere but which can, be

closed by the operator entirely or to any desired degre'eto obtain a delicate regulation of the pressure Within the glass parts. ,By this.

construction the work of shap' or joining together the glass parts can'be d o ne quickl and hence at small cost, the breakage is smali: and'no great degree of skill is required of the operator. 7

.The novel features of my invention will be definitely indicated in the appen'ded claims; the details of construction and the mode of operation will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawings which show an embodiment of my invention and in p which v Figure 1 is an elevation, and .F' 2a plan rime. In the machine on is a standard 2 carrying a -2'1connects through the up er arm 6 and the Patented April 14, ices.

support near its lower end which is bifurcated I and has hubs 3 3 formed on ends of the bifurcated arms. Near the top of the standard is an arm 4 in the end of which is a hearing, and mounted to rotate in the bearing in arm 4 and in the hubs 3 3 is a frame consists ing'of a rod 5 connecting two arms 6. 6 each of which has an o ening near one end into which rod 5 exten and an open' the arm at the other end. On t e upper arm and registering with the opening there-.

through is a hollow journal which cooperates with .the'b'earing in arm 4; and fitting into the opening throl igh the lower arm 6 is a short hollow shaft 7 which extends down through the hubs 3. 3 and carries a pulley 8 between the hubs; A belt '9 cots this pulley with a pulley 1O loosely mounted on a.

shaft 11 which carriesa pulle 12 and is driven by a belt runningon piiley 12, from any suitable source ofpower. Pulley '10 is provided with a number of o nings in one side, and a movable clutc -member 13,

spli ned to shaft 11 carries a pin 14 which is adapted to enter one of the openings to lock sha t 11 into driving relation to the pulley.

he clutch-. member 13 is moved into or out of enga ement with pulley 10 by a pedal con-' through trolled y the operator 'and'connected'to' the clutch-member 13 by rods 15 and levers 16 as shown. The hollow shaft 7. carrying the pulley 8 is connected to a source of air-supply y a. pipe .17 communicating with a connecting member. 18 which is pressed upward into the hollow shaft by a spring 19 surrounding astud on base 1.1 Connected to the n end of the hollow shaft 7. by an air-t' ht oint is a flexible. tube'20. A similar flex; 1e tube hollow journal thereon wit the bearing in arm 4 which is connected by a pipe 22 to the source of ainsupply. j Extending upward from base 1 are two standards 23 carrying a ring 24 which is broken away in front to permit the operator to see the" work and in which are two annular chambers, one connected to a source of gas-supply by a pipe 25 and the other connected to the source .of air-supply by a pipe 26. Communicating with the as chamber in the rin 24 are a number 0 burners 27 with whic a number of blow-pipes 28 com- 'municating-with the air-chamber in the ring 24 cooperate to'afford a plurality of blowpipe flames converging upon a point in the axis of rotation of the frame. The pipes and 26 which su ply the gas and air'to'the ring 24 are provi ed with a valve 29 whichis arranged to .be opened and closed by a pedal controlled by the operator and connected-to the valve by a rod 30 and arm 31. Adjust ably mounted on rod5 are twospring clamps 32 which grip the glass parts and hold them in the axis of rotation of the frame. Also adjustably mounted onrod 5 is a plate 33 which artially encircles the glass tube on which t e flames are playing, to prevent the heat from spreading down the tube to any great extent.-

The air-p1 through which the air escapes sufiiciently to reduce the ressure Within tubes 20 and 21 to practice y atmos hen'c ressure. The

vents 34 may be close entire y orfto anyde sired extent by the operator to adjust the pressure of air within the tubes by placing 25 one finger over the vent.

When the machine is used for sealing-in, the glass tube, in the end of-Which a bulb has.

been formed, is mounted on the rotatable frame with its end in the endof the flexible of the b b and the portion 0 which the bulb is to be joined. When the "relatively to the blow-pipe flames.

on which a stem has been formed and a filae tube 21 andthe upper clamp 32 spnmg onto the bulb to hold it in the proper osition e tube ment mounted is similarly inserted in the flexible connection 20, raised to the proper position with the filament and part of the stem within the :bulb, andheld in place by the lower-clamp 32. the rotation of the frame by pressing the pedal connected by'the rods. 15 and levers 16 to the clutch-member 13, and thereby moving member 13 into engagement with pulley 10. She then presses the pdal connected to valve 29,open1ng the valve and permitting the blow+ ipe flames/to play u'fpon the edge the stem to glass has become softened, 'the o erat'or raises the pressure Within theste'm y partially closing the vent34= in pipe 17- with her finger. This is best done by resting the hand on the table and tappin ,ligh'tlywith one finger on the pi e'about t e vent so-that the escape of air t ough the vent is checked only momentaril and the oe'rator can see the efiect of each closure. closing the vent 34 more or less or for greater or less periods, the pressure within; the stern can be regulated exactly as desired. In this way the stem is expanded at the point where the joint is to be made and, at the same time, the

edge of the bulb, under the'influence of the blow-pipe flames, is softened and falls in around the, expanded portion of the stern and the two join and become thoroughly weldes 17 and 22 extend down to the operator s table andalong it to apoint 'within convenient reach of the operator, where each pipe is provided with a vent 34- The operator then starts sas es ed together. The operator then artially closes the vent in the'pi e 22 in t e same ,way, thereby increasing t e pressure within the bulb and properly shaping the joint. Then by releasing the pedals the rotation of the frame is stopped and the flames are cut down. Before the glass has become cooled,

to the bulb and stemapart, the tubes sliding through the spring .clamps 32, and by adjusting the pressure withm the tubes, trues desired. The vents 34 in the air-supply, pipe afl'ord means for adjusting the air pressure within the tubeswith such delicacy that unskilled 0 erators quickly become expert at making t e joints and shaping the parts, and the output of the machine is large and the. product uniform.

II have described my invention with reference to sealing the stem of .a lamp-intothe. bnlb, but ll do, not wish to be understood as limited to anyparticular use or to the exact construction shown. The machine is equally well adapted for forming lamp bulbs from a the 0 am s 32 with the air-tubes 20 and 21 .connecte at its ends. The frame is then rotated and the burners turned up as before, and when the glass is softened the tube may be expanded by regulating the air pressure within the tube and extended by drawin" the ends through the spring clamps 32, as a ove desired shape or size. In addition to these uses, others will be evident to those skilled in the art of forming articles ofglass, f

What I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United Stateais,

frame, means carried thereby for hupporting the bulb and stem and permitting relative adjustment thereof, burners for heating the glass, and means for admitting gaseous reseach other while rotating in any adjusted position. I

4. In a sealing-in machine, a rotatable frame, means carried thereby for supporting the bulb and stem and permitting relative adjustment thereof, burners for heating the strai ht tube.- The tube may be placed indescribed, to form in the tube a bulb of any 1. In a sealing-in machine, supports for,

3. In a sealing-in machine, a rotatablesure to the bulb and stem independent y of the: operator by drawing the tubes'connected up the parts and gives them the exact shape V mg gaseous pressure to the frame, and fiexi-' ble tubes secured at one endto the frame in communication with said connections and adapted to have their other ends fitted over tubes held in said holder. 7

6. A'glass-working machine comprising a frame, two tube-holders carried thereby arranged to permit adjustment toward and away from each other, means for rotating the frame, a plurality of burners, connections for carryi gaseous pressure to the frame while rotating, and flexible tubes secured at one end to the frame in communication with said connections and adapted to be secured at their other ends to tubes held in said holders.

7. In a glass-workin machine, means for supporting a tube, -an( a pipe for-carrying gaseous pressure to a tube held in said, supportin means, provided with a ventadapted to be c osed by the operator with one finger.

8. In a glass-Working machine, a table, a frame mounted thereon, a support for tubes carried by the frame, and pipes for carrying gaseous pressure to the tubes held in said support, said pipes extending in proximity to the top of the table and having vents therein at a point near the top of the table.

9. In a glass-working machine, a support for a tube, and a pipe connected to a source of gaseous pressure and arranged to be connected to a tube held in said support, said pipe being provided with a vent arranged to reduce the pressure in the pi e to practically that of the atmosphere and adapted to be closed by the operator with one finger.

10. A glass-working machine comprising a frame, a tube-holder carried thereby arranged to'permit adjustment of a tube he d therein,

a plurality of burners, pipes for carrying gaseous pressure to the frame, said pipes being rovided with'vents arranged to be closed y a finger of the operator, and flexible tubes secured at one end to the frame in communication with said ipes.

11. In a sealing-in mac me, supports for the bulb and stem, means for rotating said supports, burners to heat the glass, and means for regulating the pressure within the bulb and stem, comprising air-pipes com.-

municating with the bulb and stem and each provided with a vent arranged to be closed y a finger of the operator.

12. In a sealing-1n machine, supports for holding the bulb and stem in alinement with each other and permitting relative adjustment thereof, means to heat the glass, and means for regulating the pressure within the bulb and stem in any adjusted position, comprising air-pipes communicating with the ulb andstem and each provided with a vent arranged to be closed by a finger of the operator..

13. A machine for forming incandescent lamps, comprising a support for the lamp parts, means for softening the glass, a source.

of gaseous pressure connected with the lamp, and a normally-open leak opening in said connectionat a point near the lamp to cut down the pressure, said leak-opening being adapted to be closed intermittently by a finger of the operator to graduate the pressure;

14. In a glass working machine, the combination with a tubular support for the glass, of a source of compressed air connected to the interior of said support, and -a regulable vent to the atmosphere for controlling the pressure'of air in said support.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 23d day of November, 1903,

WILLIAM R. BURROWS. 

